Ancient Fife and Drum Corps
Encyclopedia
An Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is a traditional, typically American
fife and drum corps that plays fife
s and wooden rope tension snare
and bass
drum
s.
The rise of the modern army begins in the late 16th and evolves throughout the 18th century. Drilling to precise and increasingly complicated geometric movements, armies adapted and trained drummers and fifers to signal preparatory alerts and execution signals as well as times of days for the troops. It became customary for each company of 100 or so men to be assigned 2 fifers and 2 drummers to sound signals, hours and alarms, as well as play popular music on the march. This pattern was also practiced in the U.S. services from the Revolutionary War up until the late 19th Century. When the companies of a Regiment or Battalion were gathered together, it was customary to assemble the fifes and drums from all the companies into a 'band' to march at the head of the column on parade. When a regimental military band (woodwinds and brass) were also present, the fifes and drums marched at the head, followed by the military band. This is still the custom with British Regimental bands. To this day, the drum major's preparatory command to move a British Army band is, "Band and Drums...". This is referring back to the segregation of the fifes and drums as a separate entity from a military band.
Fifes have always been an infantry musical instrument. The infantry used the side drums (snare/field, long drum/tenor drum and the bass drum). When detached to the companies, the drummers used only side drums. Cavalry and Dragoon (mounted infantry) units never used them. The only remaining fife and drum corps in the American Military is the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, who are attached to The 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, a ceremonial Army unit based out of Ft. Myer, VA. The British Army also still uses them. Of interest here, is many of John P. Sousa's marches were written for Military band and Marine 'Drum & Bugle Corps' which supplanted the older Marine 'Fife & Drum Corps'. The buglers were used to signal the hours of the daily routine and orders and combat signals. Two marches that come immediately to mind are 'the Thunderer' and Semper Fidelis'. Marine bands used to parade together with the drum and bugle bands. Line Marine Drum & Bugle Corps were phased out by the end of WW II. Drum & Bugle bands, in this peculiar military style remained active, largely in American Legion and VFW bands until recently although they are scarce now. These Drum & Bugle bands should not be confused in any way with modern drum and bugle corps (à la DCI/DCA), high school, or college marching bands. Today, the French military is almost exclusively the preserver of these traditional military bugle bands.
Also of ancillary interest is the little known fact that the origins of the oboe in European music rises from the oboe's equivalent role to the infantry fife as the 'band of music' for Dragoon regiments. The earliest oboes were based on the Turkish 'Zurna' of the Janissary bands. A Dragoon regiment of the British Army might have a mounted band of 6 oboes and a pair of kettle drums (exclusively used by horse-mounted units). Trumpeters were also assigned to companies as signaling musicians. The earliest oboes had a larger reed than the modern instrument, and thus produced a louder sound. A close approximation of the sound of a cavalry military band of the early 18th century can be heard in the well-known PBS 'Masterpiece Theater' theme, composed by Mouret for Trumpets, oboes, strings and kettle drums.
family which sounds an octave
above the written music and has 6 tone holes (some have 10 or 11 tone holes for added chromatics). Most fifes are wood - grenadilla, rosewood, mopane, pink-ivory and other dense woods are superior; maple and persimmon are inferior, but often used. Some corps use metal fifes.
Rope tension snare and bass drums are tightened by the use of tugs or ears that apply pressure to the rope, that pressure is transferred to the heads when the rope compresses the counter hoops causing them to move slightly closer together. Drum heads can be made of calf skin or modern plastic heads as made by many drum manufacturers.
The drums are beaten using two sticks. Visual effects may be created by flourishes of the drum sticks; for example, bass drummers may wave the sticks about in a flourish while the snare drummers roll
(or when the beating leaves sufficient time to flourish).
Songs are chosen on a number of criteria and can include both historically significant music and new pieces specifically composed
or arranged
to be played on fife and drum.
Most fife and drum corps march in parades, perform concerts in festivals and state fair
s, and expositions. Some fife and drum corps focus on interpreting a specific time period and spend some time portraying field musicians of the era at living history
events. Still others perform together at musters, particularly in the North East, but also nationally.
The typical uniform
s of the Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is a representation of some American Revolutionary War
American military uniform. Often you'll see tricorn hats, waistcoats, knickers or knee breeches, ruffled cuffs, neck stocks, buckled shoes. More recently, American Civil War
uniforms have risen in prominence. These uniforms do not have to be historically accurate in look or composition to be worn by an ancient fife and drum corps, they merely have to reflect the historical feeling of an era, though many corps do wear authentic reproduction uniforms.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fife and drum corps that plays fife
Fife (musical instrument)
A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute that is similar to the piccolo, but louder and shriller due to its narrower bore. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in military and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer...
s and wooden rope tension snare
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
and bass
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s.
History
Fifes are an ancient instrument, referred to in Europe as the 'Schweizer Pfeife', or Swiss flute. Fifes have been in use by armies (in its modern form) since the 16th century. Fifes originally accompanied companies of men providing music on the march, usually songs from home. Drums have always had a military role going far back into history.The rise of the modern army begins in the late 16th and evolves throughout the 18th century. Drilling to precise and increasingly complicated geometric movements, armies adapted and trained drummers and fifers to signal preparatory alerts and execution signals as well as times of days for the troops. It became customary for each company of 100 or so men to be assigned 2 fifers and 2 drummers to sound signals, hours and alarms, as well as play popular music on the march. This pattern was also practiced in the U.S. services from the Revolutionary War up until the late 19th Century. When the companies of a Regiment or Battalion were gathered together, it was customary to assemble the fifes and drums from all the companies into a 'band' to march at the head of the column on parade. When a regimental military band (woodwinds and brass) were also present, the fifes and drums marched at the head, followed by the military band. This is still the custom with British Regimental bands. To this day, the drum major's preparatory command to move a British Army band is, "Band and Drums...". This is referring back to the segregation of the fifes and drums as a separate entity from a military band.
Fifes have always been an infantry musical instrument. The infantry used the side drums (snare/field, long drum/tenor drum and the bass drum). When detached to the companies, the drummers used only side drums. Cavalry and Dragoon (mounted infantry) units never used them. The only remaining fife and drum corps in the American Military is the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, who are attached to The 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, a ceremonial Army unit based out of Ft. Myer, VA. The British Army also still uses them. Of interest here, is many of John P. Sousa's marches were written for Military band and Marine 'Drum & Bugle Corps' which supplanted the older Marine 'Fife & Drum Corps'. The buglers were used to signal the hours of the daily routine and orders and combat signals. Two marches that come immediately to mind are 'the Thunderer' and Semper Fidelis'. Marine bands used to parade together with the drum and bugle bands. Line Marine Drum & Bugle Corps were phased out by the end of WW II. Drum & Bugle bands, in this peculiar military style remained active, largely in American Legion and VFW bands until recently although they are scarce now. These Drum & Bugle bands should not be confused in any way with modern drum and bugle corps (à la DCI/DCA), high school, or college marching bands. Today, the French military is almost exclusively the preserver of these traditional military bugle bands.
Also of ancillary interest is the little known fact that the origins of the oboe in European music rises from the oboe's equivalent role to the infantry fife as the 'band of music' for Dragoon regiments. The earliest oboes were based on the Turkish 'Zurna' of the Janissary bands. A Dragoon regiment of the British Army might have a mounted band of 6 oboes and a pair of kettle drums (exclusively used by horse-mounted units). Trumpeters were also assigned to companies as signaling musicians. The earliest oboes had a larger reed than the modern instrument, and thus produced a louder sound. A close approximation of the sound of a cavalry military band of the early 18th century can be heard in the well-known PBS 'Masterpiece Theater' theme, composed by Mouret for Trumpets, oboes, strings and kettle drums.
Instrumentation
A fife is a woodwind instrument in the transverse fluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
family which sounds an octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
above the written music and has 6 tone holes (some have 10 or 11 tone holes for added chromatics). Most fifes are wood - grenadilla, rosewood, mopane, pink-ivory and other dense woods are superior; maple and persimmon are inferior, but often used. Some corps use metal fifes.
Rope tension snare and bass drums are tightened by the use of tugs or ears that apply pressure to the rope, that pressure is transferred to the heads when the rope compresses the counter hoops causing them to move slightly closer together. Drum heads can be made of calf skin or modern plastic heads as made by many drum manufacturers.
Performance
Drum roll
A drum roll is a technique the percussionist employs to produce a sustained sound on a percussion instrument. Rolls are used by composers to sustain the sound and create other effects, the most common of which is using a roll to build anticipation.- Snare drum roll :The most common snare drum roll...
(or when the beating leaves sufficient time to flourish).
Songs are chosen on a number of criteria and can include both historically significant music and new pieces specifically composed
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
or arranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
to be played on fife and drum.
Most fife and drum corps march in parades, perform concerts in festivals and state fair
State fair
A state fair is a competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in their categories at the more-local county fairs....
s, and expositions. Some fife and drum corps focus on interpreting a specific time period and spend some time portraying field musicians of the era at living history
Living history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
events. Still others perform together at musters, particularly in the North East, but also nationally.
The typical uniform
Uniform
A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, security guards, in some workplaces and schools and by inmates...
s of the Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is a representation of some American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
American military uniform. Often you'll see tricorn hats, waistcoats, knickers or knee breeches, ruffled cuffs, neck stocks, buckled shoes. More recently, American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
uniforms have risen in prominence. These uniforms do not have to be historically accurate in look or composition to be worn by an ancient fife and drum corps, they merely have to reflect the historical feeling of an era, though many corps do wear authentic reproduction uniforms.
See also
- Fife and drum bluesFife and drum bluesFife and drum blues is a rural derivation of traditional country blues. It is performed typically with one lead fife player, often also the band leader and vocalist, and a troop of drummers. Unlike a drum corps, the drum troop is loosely structured. As such, a fife and drum band may have any...
- Lancraft Fife and Drum CorpsLancraft Fife and Drum CorpsLancraft Fife and Drum Corps is an Ancient Fife and Drum Corps based in North Haven, Connecticut and is a member of the Connecticut Fifers and Drummers Association. Lancraft was founded in 1888, by conservative Freemasons, but over the years has become the pride of Irish Americans...
- Middlesex County 4H Fife and DrumMiddlesex County 4H Fife and DrumThe Middlesex County 4-H Fife & Drum Corps was formed in 1972 as a 4-H club in Concord, Massachusetts, in anticipation of that town’s celebration of the United States bicentennial. Its members come from different towns in eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire...